Spreader tool



July 22, 1947.

`M.MAYER SPREADER TOOL Fi1 ed Jxlly ll, 1945 |11 Hlm .l ..1 l I1 Y IN VEN TOR. MICHAEL. MAYER W41/ IllllV 'l' TTV-1V- l.. llt" 14%: 'lll' lill' III ArroR/VEY iatenfed July 22, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPREADER TOOL Michael Mayer, Cleveland, Ohio Application July 11, 1945, Serial No. 604,459

(Cl. i2-136) 3 Claims.

This 'invention relates, as indicated, to spreader tools, but has reference more particularly to tools or devices which are particularly adapted for spreading plastic materials, such as linoleum or asphalt tile paste, cement, and other floor covering materials.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a tool or device of the character described which may !be ea-sily and quickly attached to standard spreader tools, such, for example, as a trowel, and which is effective to evenly and uniformly spread plastic materials of the type mentioned.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool or device of the character described, which may be easily and inexpensively made or fabricated from materials which are readily available in the open market or which can be readily fabricated from strip or sheet metal stock.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tool or device ofthe character described which is adapted to be attached to and to fit or conform to spreader tools of varying sizes or lengths.

A still further object of the invention is to provide Ia tool or device of the character described, which can be subjected to heavy and rugged usage, but which will wear out very slowly, and hence requires only infrequent replacement.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description. 1

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a trowel having the tool or device of the present invention attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is Ia longitudinal cross-sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the reverse side of one corner of the tool shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View, taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 1, but showing a different way of attaching the tool or device to a trowel, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4 inelusive of the drawings, there is disclosed a trowel or trowel-like tool of more or less conventional construction, consisting of a flat metallic spreader plate or element I, having Ia handle 2 secured thereto, as by rivets, 3, the lower ends of these rivets having flat fa'ces which are substantially flush with the lower surface of the plate I.

Secured to one of the marginal edge portions of the plate I is the spreader tool or device of my invention which consists of a long and narrow strip 4 of metal or metallic material which is transversely crimped throughout its length to provide a series of uniformly spaced corrugations 5, which, in practice, are so spaced and of such depth as to impart a desired stiffness to .fthe strip, insure uniform spreading and facilitate handling of the trowel.

The strip 4 is provided adjacent its inner edge with a plurality of spaced openings 6, through which screws 'I are inserted for the purpose of securing the strip to the aforesaid marginal edge portion of the plate I, the plate having a plurality of spaced openings 8 in said marginal edge portion, which correspond in size and spacing to the openings 6, the screws 1 also extending through the openings 8.

Interposed between the heads 1 of the screws 'I and the lower surface of the strip 4 are spherical washers 9 of relatively large diameter, these washers providing a support or backing of desired stiffness for the portion of the strip 4 which projects beyond the adjacent edge of the plate I. In practice, the heads of the screws 1 are unrecessed, so as to provide a smooth surface which merge-s into the smooth spherical surface of the washers 9, and the screws are preferably welded to the washers, so as to be, in effect, integral with the latter. This facilitates assembly of the strip 4 with the plate I of the trowel.

The assembly of the strip 4 with the plate I is completed by means of nuts I0, lock washers (not shown) being preferably interposed between these nuts and the upper surface of the plate I.

It will be noted that the strip 4 is considerably longer than the length of the blade I. This permits the strip to be used for trowel blades of varying length, while still leaving end portions 4', which, after the strip has been attached to the plate of the trowel, may be bent to provide rebent anges which overlie the upper surface of the plate, and which impart a smooth, finished appearance to the tool, while eliminating sharp ends, edges and corners, which might cause injury.

The use of the tool will be readily apparent. After the paste or cement has been deposited on the iloor in a layer of approximately uniform depth or thickness, the strip is held at an angle to such layer, and, by manipulation of the tool, is utilized to spread the material, so as to even out the high spots and produce a layer of substantially uniform thickness and having a desired roughened surface. The corrugations of the strip have been found to be particularly eifective for this purpose, since they produce grooves into which the excess material readily ilows from the high spots, etc. The effect is much better and smoother than is attained by the use of devices heretofore used for this purpose, which are provided with recesses or notches in their edges. This is due to the fact that while the corrugations provide an edge which produces grooves or slots in the plastic material, the material which is dis.

placed is compacted and smoothened out by the valleys of the corrugations instead of passing out through the recesses or notches which Icharacterize such prior art devices. Moreover, since no material is removed from the strip, as would be the case if notches or recesses were formed in the edge of the strip, the working edge of the strip wears very slowly, and the strip does not have to be replaced often. In addition, the corrugating imparts a desired stillness to the strip, whereas, a ilat strip having a comb-like edge does not have the desired stiffness, unless the strip is made of material of excessive thickness,

The spherical surfaces of the washers 9 are effective not only to provide a smooth surface for CII the working face of the trowel, but are advantageous in that they permit the tool to be easily and quickly cleaned after use.

In Figs. 5 and 6, the plate I of the trowel is not perforated, but instead, the strip 4 is clamped to the marginal edge yportion of the plate without having the screws 'I extend through such plate.

The screws 'I serve as stops or gauges which abut the edge of the plate I and thereby determine the position of the strip relatively to the plate. To insure a good clamping action, dat washers I2, of approximately the same diameter as the washers 9, are secured to the screws 'I and engage the flat upper surface of the plate I over a relatively large area, the assembly being completed by means of nuts I3 and lock washersv (not shown) which are interposed between the washers I2 and the nuts I3.

The tool or device of the present invention may be attached to spreader tools other than trowels, such, for example, as putty knives or spreaders, and the like.

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention, herewith shown and and described, are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, Without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination with a trowel or the like provided with a straight-edge, of an edge member formed of an elongated strip of corrugated material removably secured along the edge of said straight-edge, said corrugations extending transversely across the entire width of the strip from edge to edge and being of uniform depth and width throughout their length, said securing means supporting the edge member on said straight-edge with the corrugations thereof extending at an angle to said straight-edge.

2. A combination with a trowel or the like provided with a straight-edge, of an edge member formed of an elongated strip of corrugated material removably secured along the edge of said straight-edge, said corrugations extending transversely across the entire width of the strip from edge to edge and being of uniform depth and width throughout their length, said securing means supportingr the edge member on the straight-edge with the corrugations thereof extending at an angle to said straight-edge, said removable strip being provided with rebent flanges at its ends overlying the ends of said trowel.

3. A vcombination with a trowel or the like provided with a, plate having e, straight-edge, of an edge member formed of an elongated strip of corrugated material removably secured along the edge of said straight-edge, said corrugations extending transversely across the entire width of the strip from edge to edge and being of uniform depth and width throughout their length, means for clamping the strip to said plate, said means including relatively large washers engaging said plate and strip and supporting the edge member on said straight-edge with the corrugations thereof extending at an angle to said straightedge.

MICHAEL MAY'ER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany 1928 Number Number 

